El País comments: a portrait of Spain's old left
Nearly 90% of comments on Spain's El País come from a very specific profile: boomer, subscriber since the 70s, with conspiratorial rhetoric and unwavering loyalty to Sánchez.
English · Original discussion in Spanish · Published
The sect of El País comments: a portrait of a left that refuses to give up
Nearly 90% of comments on El País come from a very specific profile: boomer, subscriber since the 70s, with unshakeable convictions and a rhetoric that mixes far-right conspiracy theories with loyalty to Sánchez. The paradox is that they denounce a nonexistent "coup plot" while defending the suspension of elections if Pedro Sánchez needs it, which makes them a sect that fits poorly with the Nordic ideal of democracy they claim to defend. The analysis of their interventions reveals that this is not political debate, but a militant identity that justifies anything rather than let go of power.
The profile of the El País commenter
The recurring description is that of a retiree with property and a pension far above what their intellectual or political level would justify. They have been subscribers for decades, listen to la SER (a major Spanish radio station), and their language is full of references to "coup-mongering", "the far right" and "Handsome Pedro". Any criticism of Sánchez —even from the centre-left— they consider fascist. Coherence is not their strong suit: they claim to want Nordic democracy but defend shanty-town Peronism. Their ability to mobilise in the comments is inversely proportional to their electoral impact outside the bubble.
The generational disconnect
While these commenters defend a narrative of persecution, educated young people with languages and culture scrape by on precarious wages. The "old reds" enjoy pensions and property that bear no relation to their intellectual effort, generating a generational malaise that other forums reflect bluntly. The divide is not only ideological: it is economic and demographic. Young people see this left as dead weight defending its privileges under a pogre disguise.
Sect or loyal base?
The comments seem written by a sect because they function as an echo chamber. Anyone who disagrees is banned or silenced. Moreover, the subscription requirement to comment filters in the most sectarian. But some argue they are simply the loyal base of the PSOE (Spain's socialist party), a 25% of voters who will support Sánchez no matter what he does, even if he "loots the gold of the Banco de España". The question is whether that loyalty is compatible with democracy or is rather an obstacle to political renewal.
The future of public discussion
Digitalisation has fragmented public debate. Each outlet has its audience: El País attracts that nostalgic left, while menéame or Twitter host more radical profiles. The result is that the conversation has become endogamous. There is no real exchange, only assertion of identities. What this debate does not solve is how to reverse the radicalisation of media audiences when the business model itself (subscriptions) feeds it. The solution may lie in abolishing parliamentary immunity and separating the judiciary from politics, but as long as 90% of the comments keep coming from "old reds", change seems distant.
Related discussions in the forum
Nearly 90% of comments on El País come from a very specific profile: boomer, subscriber since the 70s, with unshakeable convictions and a rhetoric that mixes far-right conspiracy theories with loyalty to Sánchez. The paradox is that they denounce a nonexistent "coup plot" while defending the suspension of elections if Pedro Sánchez needs it, which makes them a sect that fits poorly with the Nordic ideal of democracy they claim to defend. The analysis of their interventions reveals that this is not political debate, but a militant identity that justifies anything rather than let go of power.
The profile of the El País commenter
The recurring description is that of a retiree with property and a pension far above what their intellectual or political level would justify. They have been subscribers for decades, listen to la SER (a major Spanish radio station), and their language is full of references to "coup-mongering", "the far right" and "Handsome Pedro". Any criticism of Sánchez —even from the centre-left— they consider fascist. Coherence is not their strong suit: they claim to want Nordic democracy but defend shanty-town Peronism. Their ability to mobilise in the comments is inversely proportional to their electoral impact outside the bubble.
The generational disconnect
While these commenters defend a narrative of persecution, educated young people with languages and culture scrape by on precarious wages. The "old reds" enjoy pensions and property that bear no relation to their intellectual effort, generating a generational malaise that other forums reflect bluntly. The divide is not only ideological: it is economic and demographic. Young people see this left as dead weight defending its privileges under a pogre disguise.
Sect or loyal base?
The comments seem written by a sect because they function as an echo chamber. Anyone who disagrees is banned or silenced. Moreover, the subscription requirement to comment filters in the most sectarian. But some argue they are simply the loyal base of the PSOE (Spain's socialist party), a 25% of voters who will support Sánchez no matter what he does, even if he "loots the gold of the Banco de España". The question is whether that loyalty is compatible with democracy or is rather an obstacle to political renewal.
The future of public discussion
Digitalisation has fragmented public debate. Each outlet has its audience: El País attracts that nostalgic left, while menéame or Twitter host more radical profiles. The result is that the conversation has become endogamous. There is no real exchange, only assertion of identities. What this debate does not solve is how to reverse the radicalisation of media audiences when the business model itself (subscriptions) feeds it. The solution may lie in abolishing parliamentary immunity and separating the judiciary from politics, but as long as 90% of the comments keep coming from "old reds", change seems distant.
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Summary of a discussion on Burbuja.info - Foro de economía, actualidad y política., translated from Spanish and reviewed before publication. Read the full discussion (71 replies).
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